Tuesday, May 9, 2017

It's a Bird...it's a Plane!


Our weather has been nice and sunny since last Friday.  I think rain may move back in tomorrow but we've been making hay while the sun has been shining.  Getting a lot of yard work done, that is.  And planting flowers.

We spent a lot of time at our daughter's house helping plant and mulching around the house and flower gardens.  My own flowers aren't quite finished yet.  

I bought some new perennials for a flower bed I'm extending, but the soil needs to dry out before it can be worked good.

The front of the house is done.  All I did there was put up a few hanging baskets and planted red geraniums in the black pots.  Most of my flowers go on the large patio in back.  


Our son came in for the weekend and we spent a little time sitting on the patio while awaiting the charcoal grill to get going.  I had fun trying to snap the goldfinches in flight fighting over a seat at the feeder.  

I don't remember ever seeing so many goldfinches at once and at one point I counted at least 3 dozen awaiting a turn and several were on the ground looking for dropped seeds.  I'll be buying another feeder when I'm at the store.


My son and I had fun watching the planes overhead and he would ask Siri, "what flight is above us"?  This one was coming from St Louis headed to San Francisco. 


This flight was from Baltimore headed to Las Vegas.  We all agreed that while it is fun to be able to find out this information, that it might not be so wise at this time in our troubled world.  


Back to birdwatching...this goldfinch might be a juvenile.  He sat on the clothesline for the longest time.

   Coming in for a landing...

I'm heading out to Wally World in a few minutes, so I'll be by to visit later in the day or tonight.  I've been meaning to post and visit way before now, but flowers and other chores have had my attention lately.  Hope your day is sunny and bright!

Happy Tuesday to you!
xo Cheryl

25 comments:

  1. I think my favorite of all the goldfinch shots is coming in for a landing, with his wings down. You got excellent flight pictures! I also love the first plane picture!! It looks like a star on the tail, how beautiful!! I hope you show us your flowers out back when all is done! Plus I would love to see your patio and back yard.

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  2. Amazing pics of the goldfinches! I think watching that many come in and feed, would keep me entertained for hours, and hours!

    I had no idea that you could find out what flights are going over, at the time you see them.
    Of course, I couldn't ask my phone, as it's not a 'fancy phone', as I call my kids phones :)
    My phone is so basic, but it calls friends and family just fine.

    Have a gorgeous spring day.
    ~K.
    p.s Your planters sound gorgeous with the geraniums. That's what I decided to do this year in our planters, baskets, etc...
    Just a few more weeks, then we should be safe from frost.

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  3. You did a marvelous job of catching goldfinches in midflight. I did not know that I could ask Siri about flights and I have always wondered!

    ☀️How nice it must be to have sun for a stretch of four whole days! The flowers getting planted and mulched is a big deal. It won't be happening here any time soon.

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  4. I'm excited to get some real planting done soon, but we really have to wait until Memorial Weekend, boooo! Your finch photos are great!

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  5. the bird below the planes is saying Hey he went that way... love the hovercraft birds and there colors are amazing. I have never seen these bright yellow birds and they amaze me. I love the first shot of the plane with the sun making it look like it is on fire are in the process of exploding. great shot. never though of doing that but would be fun

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  6. I thought maybe the surprise was gonna be a picture of Superman in there somewhere. lol Siri is amazing, isn't it/she?
    Your finch shots are beautiful...and I bet that one on the wire was a young one. I don't have our bird feeders up- we took them down when we put the house on the market last year because of all the bird poop all over our patio AND the neighbor put out HUGE birdfeeders at that same time so we knew the birds would be well fed for the winter (and they were).

    Hope you had fun at WallyWorld...there is always at least one photo-op there! A whole different kind of 'bird' if you know what I mean. xo Diana

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  7. You really do have a mob and they are all in their mating colors. I am impressed Siri could do that. Not sure Alexa could.

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  8. Oh, what a WONDERFUL bunch of goldfinches!! They are some of my favorite little feathered friends!! Girl, enjoy the flowers and the beautiful weather!! blessings and hugs ~ tanna

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  9. Hi, The goldfinches are absolutely beautiful! Amazing pics of the planes overhead too. Glad you have had some sunshine to work in the garden. After a rainy, cold/windy weekend, we are enjoying clear skies too. Have a pleasant evening.

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  10. Wow, wow and wow again :). Amazing shots of those pretty little goldfinches. How fun to sit out there and see all of that action. What do you have in that feeder? Whatever it is, it's a hit.
    I guess they don't call them smart phones for nothing. It is amazing and sometimes unnerving to think of all that they can do. I had heard of that feature with the planes, but have yet to try it. It sounds like it works pretty well.

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  11. I have had quite a few goldfinches as well. Always fun to watch!

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  12. I would have had a blast watching all those goldfinches...

    Re Walmart...we are there almost every other day...sometimes every day.

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  13. Those Goldfinches are so pretty.

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  14. Loved the photos of our Goldfinches! I think you do need another bird feeder. I am getting one or two for our yard this year. I love birds and I love listening to them in the mornings.
    It sounds like you had a good time helping with your daughter with planting. I have always enjoyed the photos of the flowers you have in your yard and in pots. We really need to start planting some flowers soon. I just don't know how to fit it all in.
    I love that you son came for a visit and you had some time on the patio with him. I am so enjoying the warmth that we are having right now. It's nice to see the sun.
    You got some great photos of the planes flying over. I didn't have a clue you could ask Siri on this one.
    Sending warm thoughts and hugs your way!

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  15. One could be entertained for a long time watching those cheerful and pretty finches! You made some great captures!

    Hope you'll show us some of your pretty flowers too. It's always exciting when flower planting season rolls around, isn't it? Feasts for the eyes!

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  16. Glad your area is okay after all of the flooding... We too have had lots of rain --but after our horrible drought, we need it..... Great group of Goldfinches... We have a bunch of them also. They seemed to take over AFTER all of the Pine Siskins left.

    Don't you love SIRI? She comes in handy when we travel--looking for specific restaurants or gas stations, etc... And I love to ask her to set an alarm when I want to nap for 30 minutes.... ha

    We are at the beach enjoying the sunshine.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  17. Seeing all these yellow goldfinches brought back memories of watching them at the feeders when we lived in VA. The colors are simply beautiful and great shots of the mid-air flight or landing? And, I too never knew you could ask your smartphone about flights overhead.

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  18. I had no idea you could ask Siri what flight was above you! My boys will love that. ;-)

    Your photos of the goldfinches are amazing. You should enter them in a contest! Well Done.

    Happy Mother's Day,
    Carla

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  19. The goldfinches are impressive. You look like you need another feeder to accomondate them all. Neat about the planes that you can do that.

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  20. Oh WOW...these finches are so beautiful...and so many of them! Great captures, Cheryl! Siri can really identify and plane flying overhead?? That IS a bit scary! I knew she could talk back at times...a few months ago when our power was out at night, I was sitting in my car charging my phone and as it was charging, I was asking Siri what the weather was going to be like in our area the next day. She proceeded to tell me that we were going to have more high winds and I made the comment to myself "that really sucks" and she came back with this response, "Tell me about it!" LOL...gotta love Siri (or hate her) :)

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  21. Hi Cheryl!

    Those little finches are amazing, I've never seen that many together either! I love feeding the birds, and always amazed at how many different species come to the feeders.

    I have not even planted one thing in my yard this spring! I did go to the nursery today to get hanging plants for my daughters, and it gave me a little urge to buy something pretty for my garden! I'm sure with Mother's Day on Sunday, I will get something pretty to plant... ;0)

    I love phone apps! How interesting to look into the sky and find out where those planes are going and coming from...and you're right, kinda scary too.

    Hugs,
    Barb

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  22. Fabuous birds and photography. yellow seems ot be the 'in' colour. I am sorry these days I do not have the same time to comment on all your posts due to recent events but I appreaciae you posts and your comments on mine.

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  23. Goldfinches are such a bright spot in the day!

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  24. Goldfinches are such bright and cheerful to watch! Glad you are having a lovely day. I agree with you about our troubled times. Have a lovely weekend.

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  25. They're such pretty birds, aren't they? I've been thinking about getting another feeder too, but I keep thinking I'll need more and more and pretty soon I'll be feeding them and not me LOL

    I agree about the flight thing, Its neat to know where they're going, but I do think it's dangerous.

    xo

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